Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER,
Citizens Making Ready fer the Great
National Drill TO be Held ir MAY.
Applications for Rooms.
How Bills are Being Rushed Through Con-
gress During the Last Days of tho =
Session-CapitoI Gossip. M

Sss
Correspondence of the Gazette. ,.fgls.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-These Gre busy
days in Washington. Congress isahurry-
ing through with its business, and the
citizens are busy making ready for the
great national drill to be held here in the
coming May. Most of the states have
notified the officers in charge OF the en-
terprise that they will send troops. On
Thursday the Adjutant- General of the
state Of Kentucky was here completing
arrangements for the Kentucky troops.
He states that all the state troops would
come, among them being battalion of
artillery. It will be the biggest
show that the city has had for
many year, and will outrival the
famous review Of the Army of Virginia held
at the close Of the war, and which was
more than two days in passing 3 given
point. II the coming drill be not as large
in numbers 8 the review, it win far excel
it in the variety and brightness OF the
uniforms worn. Already applications are
coming in to the hotels by prospective
spectators for rooms. The soldiers will
encamp on the wide eXDanse OF grounds
south of the executive mansion and west
of the capitol, and overlooking the beau
tiful Potomac into old Virginia. Wash
ngton is IN the height of its beauty in
May, and the soldier boys will have
most delightful time in their raid upon
the capitol of their country.
Congress never worked harder than it
is working Eow, and 4 strenuous effort
will DE made to pass all bills of q private
character on the calendar and not OBJ
It'd xs,% % >,
was consumed in considering bills of a
public nature. More of such bills will
receive consideration, but row all bar
riers have been thrown down and bills
will be rsilroaGed through. Until Friday
a single objection to calling up q bill out
of its regular order would prevent lis
consideration. From that time, how
ever, the rules were suspended, and who
ever could get the recognition of the
Speaker would get his private bill up for
action. A limit OF three minutes for and
three minutes against any bill was fixed
for debate, and that practically
put the bills to vote imme-
diately after reading the report of
the committee. Thursday WAS one CT the
most exciting days OF the session, the
question OF passing the dependent pen
sion bill over the veto being tue special
order OF the day. The House met al II
O'Clock, and nearly an hour before that
time the majority OF the members were
present preparing for the contest The
excited grOuDS IL mGUy parts of the
House chamber showed the Importance
Of the struggle and the doubt that hung
over the final effort. The speeches. after
the House convened were many and acri-
monious, General Bragg Of Mississippi
IN particular being extremely severe iii
his criticisms of the provisions OF the
bill. The veto was sustained by vote
of l75 to pass the bill over the veto to
l2j against, the constitutional two-thirds
not voting IN favor of the bill and the
veto was the sole topic discussed in the
hotel lobDies the night after it WIS taken.
The House will unquestionably pass
the bill with the Senate amendments pro-
viding for the Department of Agriculture
and Labor, to which the Signal Service
will be transferred. 1t seems to be
equally certain that Commissioner Col
man, at present chief of the Agriculture
Bureau, will be made secretary of the
new department.
1t is believed, too, that the Senate will
agree to the House amendments to the
fisheries retaliation bill. and that the
President will be in position to protect
our interests and compel observance of
our rights by the time that the fishery sea
son opens, which will be shortly after the
adjournment of Congress.
At this writing 1t is impossible to say
who is the coming Secretary of the Treas |
ury. 1t is very generally conceded that
Speaker Carlisle was offered the posi- |
ton, and upon mature consideration ne |
declined it. The Speaker has his eye on
the presidency, and does not care 10 &C
Cept an office so close to the President as !
to interfere with his freedom to act as he
thinks best to get the nomination. Again, |
Carlisle has very pronounced ideas on the /
tariff question, and rather than modify |
them, even to the extent to voice the |
Presidents modified views on the ques-
tion, he would prefer to decline the high |
hOnor of presiding over the treasury
portfolio.